Board Meeting Minutes from November 26, 2013

VISION Statement: Redwood Community Radio envisions a community of listeners who, guided by the example of RCR programming, work together to create better, more just and sustainable world systems, to ensure that all humans and other living species on earth move toward a higher quality of life, and are able to survive challenges in the times ahead.

MISSION: Redwood Community Radio will encourage a communication center of open airways (KMUD) for all voices to inform, educate, entertain and inspire the listening community through quality programming.

V.Open time – Bettye Etter asked if a hard-copy of the Membership list had been produced, and if she were being considered for Management Evaluation Com. She also proposed formation of a “Citizens’ Advisory Board West” (i.e., Shelter Cove, Whale Gulch, Ettersburg, etc.) and volunteered to chair a CAB West. Disposition: Siena thanked Bettye, said we would be in touch to form CAB West. MEC appointments are on tonight’s agenda; one of the five members will represent Programmers and Volunteers. Since database under repair, suggest postpone printing out membership list.

VI.Manager’s Report – Non-federal financial support (or NFFS, which includes donations, underwriting, and underwriting trade) partially determines the size of our CPB grants. KMUD did ~ $110K in underwriting (so far this year), and about $13K in trade, which enhances the funds we receive from CPB (but which negatively affects the underwriter Rep’s commission). To compare: KZYX (in their 2014 budget) plans for $40K underwriting and an equal amount in trade.

New qualifications in 2014 for CPB eligibility. KMUD’s grant funding has changed drastically over past 5 years. (See packet, p. 55.) Our disbursement will drop from $135K in 2013 to $87K in 2014, another reason it’s very important for KMUD to increase NFFS.

Free Speech Radio News has been temp. replaced by Feature Story News, eliciting a lot of negative feedback. FSRN now asking $7K/yr, up from $4.5K. The Program Selection and Review Com. is looking for an FSN replacement till February.

Development Com. has proposed a 2014 calendar of events, biggest change: Block Party might be canceled for this year. Permits to close roads cost money, not to mention a lot of other work: on-site crews for raising tents; meeting a 6 a.m. deadline for mounting traffic signs; letter-writing to various community entities, live broadcast [and toting hay-bales, kitchen set-up, etc.]. Jeanette feels we should keep the Block Party, but not close the roads for it. Board members’ views about the event touched on 1) its tradition, and 2) its capacity for outreach [if not also being profitable]. Bettye reminded people that the Block Party used to be KMUD’s birthday party (around Memorial Day). She said it got moved a few years ago because of the Grass-Roots Radio Conference, and suggested that the 2014 KMUD Block Party be returned to Memorial Day weekend.

Fall Pledge Drive brought in $91.1K (in 12 days, a first), bringing the 2013 pledge drive total to $228K; these last two drives have been “home-runs,” really great! Dec. 14-15 live broadcast on HD-2 (from Emerald Cup in Santa Rosa). Appreciation Party Jan. 17 Garberville Vets’ Hall; last year’s budget of $1500 was exceeded with the expense of the Beginnings venue, and this year more awards are planned: $2000 requested for food, fun and awards. Jack moved we approve this amount; Kim seconded. Approved unanimously.

Events Income (all amounts approximate): Walshy Fire $5K; Battle of the Rock Bands $1K; Hiphop Circus $2K; and Halloween Boogie $7K, which is “a testament to what we can do when we work with other non-profits.” Trainings and volunteer orientations are planned for the fall and winter. Quarterly programmer meetings have been requested, which Programmer Reps are asked to facilitate [ACTION: MARCY, NOEL, JACK]. Nella has agreed to take on the pivotal project of database improvement (Donor Snap). Closing the office one day a week more complicated than originally thought. Heating and cooling people have not yet supplied a quote. Green Wired has been asked to install a new solar bank, and may come in next week. ADA (Americans with Disability Act) building permit expires Feb. 15, and work on KMUD’s doors is needed. Employee self-evaluations are ongoing.

Extended discussion of fund-raising vs. outreach. Siena mentioned a business KMUD might run (coffee?) to make money. Jack reminded people we should reach out more to the under-40 crowd, and of the station’s back-yard as a great place for a party; it’s full of fruit-trees which could be harvested for profit [ACTION].

Events calendar 2014: Wine event up north last spring was a lot of work reaching out to business owners, getting food, thank-you’s afterward, etc. May not be a sustainable model. No dates are final. Other events can be added to the schedule if the liability can be covered by third parties.

A.Changes to Grievance policy, section 2.4.5.3 - “The panel is to be composed of 3 or more members …” and policy 5.1.4, Step 7: “The Board will either accept the recommendations of the Grievance Panel hearing Panelists or the Board may, by unanimous vote of the Board, overturn that decision and make a different ruling to resolve the issue.”

B.The Board will consider creation of a Networking Committee at a future meeting.

VIII.Finance Report

Julia highlighted the pending $50K drop in CPB funding. $205K subscription revenue budgeted, based on $250K in total pledge drive goals. Bottom-line: the fat has already been trimmed from the budget. Hard decisions – to increase revenue or further decrease expenses – are now called for. Jeanette pointed out that we have received $228K in pledge drive money this year (the previous record was $199K) and drew the Board’s attention to a line in the budget in which each Board member would be expected to contribute [or otherwise bring in] $1000 for KMUD in 2014, for example through tabling, initiating capital campaigns, asking friends for donations, etc.

Dian Griffith arrived and, with Julia, walked the Board through various items in the budget. Bequests have benefitted KMUD past couple of years. Cash-crunches are more likely and/or most severe in late summer (partially due to no CPB $). The August pledge drive saved our butts, and a third pledge drive is definitely needed. Subscription revenue line = pledges and silent drive money received. The car-donation program, donation jars [e.g., in stores and supermarkets; ACTION], merchandise sales, and underwriting ($130K for 2014) are examples of other kinds of revenue. Website ads are being planned. Another program guide (following the one put out in 2012) would be good for ad revenue. Programmers should process through the office event-tickets they may give away [ACTION], since their value must be reported. Budgeting for news-stringers has increased significantly, due to our not now having a second staff news anchor-person.

IX.Other actions

A.Julia moved we table Unfinished business items B through I ; Noel seconded. 6 in favor, one abstention.

B.Consider David Ordoñez for Grievance Panel. Noel moved we appoint David Ordoñez to Grievance Panel; Kim seconded. Approved unanimously.

C.Julia moved we table New Business items C and D ; Jack seconded. Approved unanimously.

Our Mission and Vision

Vision Statement: Redwood Community Radio envisions a community of listeners who, guided by example of RCR programming, work together to create better, more just and sustainable world systems to ensure that all human and other living species on earth move toward higher quality of life and are able to survive the challenges in the times ahead.

Mission Statement: Redwood Community Radio will encourage a communication center of open airways (KMUD) for all voices to inform, educate, entertain and inspire the listening community through quality programming.